Anthony Mackie Set To Play African American Marvel Comic Superhero!

After rumors and speculation that were later confirmed over the summer, it is reported that actor Anthony Mackiewill be joining the cast as African American superhero, Sam Wilson, also known as the Falcon.

Mackie said he was taking the role seriously because of the significance of Falcon to the Marvel Comics as the first African American super-powered being. He further found the character attractive because Wilson moved from Harlem to Los Angeles to become a drug dealer and pimp but eventually became a crime fighter.

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Production on the film doesn’t begin until next March and Mackie hasn’t read any of the script, but it’s clear he’s been studying the role. In a recent interview with Newsday, Mackie gushed about the opportunity given to him.

I’m playing the Falcon. He’s this guy in Harlem who moved to California and became a drug dealer. His plane crashed, and he was genetically altered, and he can fly, has telepathic powers. He’s the first African American superhero. It makes me feel all the work I’ve done has been paying off. I have a son, nephews and nieces, and I love the idea that they can dress up as the Falcon on Halloween. They now have someone they can idolize. That’s a huge honor for me.

After starring in a run of big roles in such films as “The Hurt Locker” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” Mackie’s star is sure to rise even higher as he joins the successful Marvel Films team. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is slated for a 2014 summer release.